Supporting and pleating device for draperies



Jime 25, 1957 ,1. BERNHARD EfAl. 2,796,928

SUPPORTING AND PLEATINGDEVICE FOR DRAPERIES Filed Feb. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 $231 IIIIHHHHIIIIIIIII INVENTORS." I JOSEPH BERN/$6490 559M400 150M420 POLKOS/Y/A ATTORNEX United States Patent SUPPORTING AND PLEATING DEVICE FOR DRAPERIES Joseph Bernhard, Stepney, and Bernard Leonard Polkosnik, Bridgeport, Conn., assignors to Consolidated Trimming Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 24, 1954, Serial No. 412,282

14 Claims. (Cl. 160-348) The present invention relates to an improved pleatforming drapery or curtain supporting device, and relates more particularly to a supporting device adapted to form pleats in the top portion of draperies or curtains and to flank and pinch together the folds of the pleat near the lower ends thereof by means of a movable anchored pleat-pincher, so as to resist the separation thereof, which device may be locked in its operative position within the pleated drapery, curtain or the like without tearing the hook-tubes of a drapery or curtain.

Various types of hooks have been provided for supporting draperies on supporting rods. Thus, in some cases the hooks are sewn in the inner or back side of the heading of a drapery, and in others the hooks are provided with pin portions or upwardly extending fingers for insertion into spaced vertical tubes formed in the pleat-forming drapery heading sewn onto the top of the drapery, whereby the latter can be pleated and be supported on rods.

This invention has as an object the provision of an improved supporting and pleating device for draperies or curtains which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior forms of such devices.

This invention has as a further object the provision of a supporting and pleating device with which an attractive pleat configuration is achieved.

This invention has as a still further object the pro vision of a supporting and pleating device which may be locked in position within the drapery.

This invention has as a further object a supporting and pleating device which will not tear the hook-tubes of a drapery or curtain.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the following drawings in which like acters refer to like parts:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of the front side of an embodiment of the drapery pleating construc-' tion of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the back side of the drapery pleating construction of this invention shown in Figure 1. r

reference char- Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on line 3--3 of shown Figure is a side elevational view of the device shown v in Figure 4, with the pleat retaining and locking element or pleat-pincher in its unlocked or inoperative position.

Figure 8 is a side view of the supporting and pleating device being inserted into (or withdrawn from) its operative position in the drapery.

Figure 9 is a later stage of the insertion (or an earlier stage of the withdrawal) of the supporting and pleating device than that shown in Figure 8. v

Figure 10 is a still later stage of the insertion (or a still earlier stage of the withdrawal) of the supporting and pleating device than that shown in Figure 9 namely, the stage wherein the pleat-pincher is partly in the rearwardly-opening folds of the pleat.

Figure 11 is a side section on line 1111 of Figure 2.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the supporting and pleating device with the pleat retaining and locking element or pleat-pincherin a rearward inoperative or unlocked position.

Figure 13 is aperspective view of the supporting and pleating device with the pleat retaining and locking element or pleat-pincher in its forward operative or lockin position.

The pleated drapery, employing pleating devices of the present invention, generally designated 20, has a plurality of spaced-apart pleats 21 (three front-folds 22 per pleat 21 being shown in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention) formed in drape 20, which pleats 21.

extend downwardly below the region adjacent the bottom portion of the supporting and pleating device designated 23, when the supporting and pleating device 23 is in its operative position (see Figure 2).

The upper portion of the drape 20 is preferably folded over and overlapped about the fold-line 24 (Figures 9-11). A header or pleating tape 25 is sewn or otherwise fastened to the back of the drapery by means of a pair of parallel lines of stitching 26 and 27, which are generally parallel to the fold-line 24. 9

Any suitable header or pleating tape can be used, such header or tape having a plurality of similarly-spaced cross-Wise parallel vertical tubes, tunnels or pockets 28, whose upper ends 29 are closed, as by line of stitching 26, and whose lower ends 30 are open.

The drapery supporting and pleating device 23 of the present invention is formed of resilient and generally form-retaining wire, or the like, of sufficient thickness to maintain its shape and resist permanent deformation during use, and includes four upstanding pleating or pleat-retaining fingers '31, 32, 33 and 34, which lie generally in the same plane, and which may be generallyparallel to each other, or may flare outward slightly.

The upper end 35, 36, 37 and 38 of each of the respecupsetting the head of the pleating fingers, or by melting the free ends of the pleating fingers, etc.

The globule at the end of each of the pleating fingers permits the facile insertion thereof into tube 28 in the header or pleating tape '25 without the risk of tearing the header or pleating tape fabric.

The two, outer pleating fingers 31 and 34 are preferably formed from a single piece of wire so that the fingers 31 and 34 are joined together attheir base by cross-bar 39. Similarly, the two inner pleating fingers 32 and 33 may be formed from a second, somewhat smaller, i. e;, shorter,

piece of wire so that, these fingers are joined togetherby cross-bar 40. A rearwardly extending drape-hanging or drapery suspension hook 41 has the lower end of its stem fixed to the lower ends of the fingers31, 32, 33 and 34 and also serves to join the U-shaped wire piece forming pleatthe hook 41 being preferably spot-welded to cross-bars 39. and 46, as shown particularly in Figure 4, 5 and 13. Al-' ternatively, the pleating fingers may be otherwise connected to each other and to the hook 41.

' The pleat retaining and locking or pleat-pincher element designated 42 comprises a generally U-shaped Wire, similar to the wire used to form hook 41 and fingers 31, 32, 33 and 34, bent back upon itself in the central portions of the legs 45 and 46 of the U, to form the two elbow-shaped pleat-pinching arms 47 and 48, each of which elbow-shaped pincher-arms is, in turn, generally U-shaped, in and of itself. The free ends of the legs 45 and 46 of the pleat retaining and locking element or pleatpincher 42 are formed or shaped into loops 43, and looped around the pincher-anchorage or cross-bar 39. The base of the U comprises a stop bar 44.

The pleat retaining and locking element or pleatpincher 42 may be pivoted about cross-bar 39, from the unlocked or inoperative position shown in Figure 12 in which the major portion of the pleat retaining and locking element or pleat-pincher 42 is positioned rearwardly of the fingers (or from the position shown in Figure 7 in which its major portion is below cross-bar 39), to the locked position shown in Figures 46, 11 and 13, wherein the stop bar 44 is engaged against the stem-of the hook 41 and wherein the pleat retaining or pleat-pinching legs 45 and 46 or the elbow-shaped arms 47 and 48 thereof are in front of pleating fingers 31, 32, 33 and 34 and above cross-bar 39 and entered into the folds 49 and 50 of the pleat 21. Each of the pleat retaining or pleat-pinching leg elements 45 and 46 (or the elbow-shaped arms 47 and 48 thereof) extends or projects forwardly, namely, in the direction opposite to the direction in which the hook 41 extends, for a distance generally equal to the depth of the folds 22 of the pleats 21 and these leg elements 45 and 46 are spaced from each other a sufficient distance to permit them to more or less snugly embrace the pleats when the legs 45 and 46 (or the elbow shaped arms 47 and 48 thereof) are moved into their forward operative'positions shown in Figure 6 and entered into the rearwardly-opening folds 49 and 50 of the pleat 21 formed by the device 23, thus pinching and retaining the pleats in the zone of the pleat-pincher 42.

The drapery pleating and suspending device of the present invention is applied to the drapery by inserting pleating fingers 31, 32, 33 and 34 thereof into consecutively adjacent tubes 28 on the header or pleating tape (Figures 8 and 2). While this insertion is being effected, the pleat retaining and locking element or pleat-pincher 42 is in its unlocked position shown in Figures 12, 8 and 9, with the pleat retaining leg elements 45 and 46 preferably behind pleating fingers 31, 32, 33 and 34. In this position, the pleat retaining and locking element or pleatpincher 42 may serve the useful function of a handle for guiding the fingers of the supporting and pleating device 23 into operative position within tubes 28. I

When pleating fingers 31, 32, 33 and 34 are inserted within tubes 28 and reach substantially to the upper end 29 of each of such tubes 23, or have attained their operative position; supporting and pleating device 23 willbe in the position shown in Figures 2 and '9. In this position the pleats 21 in the drape 20 tend to rapidly flare outwardly and lose their structure below'cross-bar 39, and

moreover there is apronounced tendency for the supporting and pleating device 23 to'drop from tubes 28 and become detached from the drape'20 when the drape is 70 elements and 46 are inserted into the rearwardly opening folds 49 and formed in the outermost of the frontfolds 22 of each group of pleats 21.

The final locked position is shown in Figures 2, 3 and 11. In this position, stop bar 44 is engaged with the back of hook 41 and pleat retaining leg elements 45 and 46 (or the elbow-shaped arms 47 and 48 thereof) are in their most advanced frontward position. In this locked position the folds 22 of the pleats 21 are retained from spreading in the region below the cross-bar 39 of the supporting and pleating device 23. Moreover, supporting and pleating device 23 is locked in this operative position and cannot fall therefrom during handling of the drape, such as during the mounting thereof.

The so pleated drapery may then be hung on a curtain rod by means of hooks 41. The withdrawal of supporting and pleating device 23 from the drapery is effected by a reverse order of the operative positions set forth above. Thus, the pleat retaining and locking element or pleatpincher 42 is moved from its locked position shown in Figures 23 and 11 by grasping stop bar 44 and pulling the pleat retaining and locking element or pleat-pincher 42 outwardly about cross-bar 39, to its unlocked position shown in Figure 9. The supporting and pleating device 23 may then be withdrawn from tubes 28 by a downward pull on pleat retaining and locking element or pleatpincher 42.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A supporting and pleating device for draperies including a plurality of upwardly projecting, elongated, resilient, pleating fingers, two of said pleating fingers being connected together at their lower'ends by a cross-bar, a

drape-hanging, hook-like portion extending in back of said.

fingers, and a pleat retaining and locking element having an end portion pivotally mounted on said cross-bar and having leg portions swingable, on pivotal movement of said pleat retaining and locking element, between a position wherein at least a major portion of said element is in back of said pleating fingers and a position projecting between two adjacent pleating fingers and wherein at least a portion of it is in front of said pleating fingers.

2. A supporting and pleating device for draperies including a plurality of upwardly projecting, elongated, resilient, pleating fingers, two of said pleating fingers being connected together at their lower ends by a cross-bar, a drape-hanging, hook-like portion extending in back of said fingers, and a pleat retaining and locking element comprising a generally U-shaped member having the ends of its legs pivotallylooped about the cross-bar, each leg of said element being bent back upon itself at a substantially central portion thereof whereby said element is swingable about said cross-bar from a position wherein the major portion of the legs .of the U are in back of said pleating fingers to a position wherein the base of the U is in back of said pleating fingers with at least a portion of each of .the legs of the U projecting in front of said pleating fingers through adifferent space'between adjacent fingers,

' so that when said pleating fingers are disposed within spaced hook-tubes in the upper portion of a drape to form pleats, with the legs of said U-shaped pleat retaining and locking element in their second-mentioned"position, each of the frontwardly projectin'g"portions of the legs may penetrate the pleat between adjacent hook-tubes and maintain said pleats in position.

3. A supporting and pleating-device for draperies in-v cluding four upwardly projecting, elongated, resilient, pleating fingers, the outer two fingers being. joined .together by a basal cross-bar, a drape-hanging, hook like portion extending in back of said fingers, and a pleat retaining and locking element comprising a generally U- shaped member having the ends of its legs pivotally looped about the cross-bar, each leg of said element being bent back upon itself at a substantially central portion thereof whereby said element is swingable about said cross-bar from a position wherein the major portions of the legs of the U are in back of said pleating fingers to a position wherein the base of the U is in back of said pleating fingers with at least a portion of each of the legs of the U projecting in front of said pleating fingers through a different space between adjacent fingers, so that when said pleating fingers are disposed within spaced hooktubes in the upper portion of a drape to form pleats, with the legs of said U-shaped pleat retaining and locking element in their second-mentioned position, each of the frontwardly projecting portions of the legs may penetrate the pleat between adjacent hook-tubes and maintain said pleats in position.

4. A supporting and pleating device for draperies including a plurality of upwardly projecting, elongated, resilient pleating fingers connected together at their lower ends by a cross-bar, a drape-hanging, hook member extending rearwardly from said fingers, and a pleat retaining and locking element comprising a pair of spaced apart, generally U-shaped leg portions each having one end looped around the cross-bar for pivotally mounting said element thereon and said leg portions being bent back upon themselves at a substantially central portion and having their opposite ends connected together by a base bar spacing the leg portions for entry on swinging movement about said cross-bar into separate spaces between pairs of adjacent fingers whereby, when the fingers are inserted into spaced hook-tubes in the upper portion of a drape to form pleats, the pleat retaining and locking element may be swung pivotally to. project said leg portions into spaces between pleats to maintain the form of said pleats.

5. A supporting and pleating device for draperies including inner and outer pairs of upwardly projecting, elongated, resilient pleating fingers, the outer pair being connected together at their lower ends by a cross-bar and the inner pair being connected to said cross-bar in nesting relation to said outer pair, a drape-hanging, hook member extending rearwardly from said fingers, and a pleat retaining and locking element comprising a pair of spaced apart, generally U-shaped leg portions each having oneend looped around said cross-bar between adjacent fingers of an inner and an outer pair for pivotally mounting said element on said cross-bar and said leg portions being bent back upon themselves at a substantially central portion and having their opposite end portions connected together by a base bar spacing the leg portions for entry on swinging movement about said cross-bar into the respective spaces between said adjacent fingers whereby, when the fingers are inserted into spaced hook-tubes in the upper portion of a drape to form pleats, the pleat retaining and locking element may be swung pivotally to project said leg portions into spaces between pleats to maintain the form of said pleats.

6. A drapery pleater including a pair of inner fingers and a pair of outer fingers disposed generally upright when the pleater is in its operative position and connected at their lower ends, a cross-bar near the lower ends of said fingers and connecting at least two of said fingers, a supporting hook connected with said fingers near their lower ends and extending rearwardly thereof, and a pleatengaging member pivotally connected with said cross-bar, said pleat-engaging member including a pair of pleatpinching elements and being swingable from a position generally in back of the fingers to a position substantially forwardly of said fingers and with said pleat-pinching elements thereof entering the folds of the pleat formed by said fingers.

7. A pleater for pleating and supporting draperies and curtains, including a pair of inner fingers and a pair of outer fingers disposed generally upright when the pleater is in its operative position and connected at their lower ends, a cross-bar near the lower ends of said fingers and connecting at least two of said fingers, a supporting-hook connected with said fingers near their lower ends and extending rearwardly thereof, two elbow-shaped pleat-pinching elements, each including two legs and an elbow-like bend connecting said legs, one leg of each of said pinching elements being pivotally connected to the pleater near the lower ends of the fingers thereof, a cross bar connecting the other legs of said pleat-pinching elements to each other, said pleat-pinching elements being movable in relation to said fingers about said pivotal connections from an inoperative position generally back of the fingers to an operative pleat-pinching position substantially forwardly of said fingers and flanking and engaging the folds of the pleat formed by said fingers, with the aforementioned elbows leading as the pleat-pinching elements are moved from their inoperative position generally in back of the fingers to their operative pleat-pinching position substantially forwardly of the fingers.

8. A supporting and pleating device for draperies including a plurality of upwardly projecting, elongated, resilient, pleating fingers, two of said pleating fingers being connected together at their lower ends by a cross-bar, a drape-hanging, hook-like portion extending in back of said fingers, and a pleat retaining and locking element comprising a generally U-shaped member having the ends of its legs formed into loops pivotally mounted about the cross-bar, each leg of said element being bent back upon itself at a substantially central portion thereof whereby said element is swingable about said cross-bar from a position wherein the major portion of the legs of the U are'in back of said pleating fingers to a position wherein the base of the U is in back of said pleating fingers with at least a portion of each of the legs of the U projecting in front of said pleating fingers through a different space between adjacent fingers, so that when said pleating fingers are disposed within spaced hook-tubes in the upper porticrn of a drape to form pleats, with the legs of said U-shaped pleat retaining and locking element in their second-mentioned position, each of the frontwardly pro jecting portions of the legs may penetratethe pleat between adjacent hook-tubes and maintain seat pleats in position.

9. A drapery pleater (including a pair of inner fingers and a pair of outer fingers disposed generally upright when the pleater is in its operative position and connected .at their lower ends, the fingers lying in substantially the fingers, said pleat-engaging member being swingable from a position generally in back of the fingers to a position substantially forward of said fingers and entering the folds of the pleat formed by said fingers.

10. A dnapery pleater including a pair of inner fingers and a pair of outer fingers disposed generally upright when the pleater is in its operative position and connected at their lower ends, the fingers lying in substantially the same plane, a supporting hook connected with said fingers at their lower, connected ends and extending nearwardly thereof, and a pleat-engaging member including a pair of pleat retaining elements and pivotally connected to said pleater adjacent said lower, connected ends for vertical swinging movement in a plane normal to the plane of said fingers, said pleat-engaging member being swingable from a position generally in back of the fingers to a position substantially forward of said fingers and entering the folds of the pleat formed by said fingers.

11. A supporting and pleating device for draperies inbinding a plurality of upwardly projecting, elongated, resilient, pleating fingers, two of said pleating fingers being connected together at their lower'ends by a crossbar, a drape-hangingQhook-like portion extending in back of said fingers, and a pleat engaging and retaining element comprising a generally U-shaped member having the ends of its legs formed into loops pivotally mounted about the cross-bar, each leg of said element being bent back upon itself at a substantially central portion thereof whereby said element is swingable about said cross-bar firom a position wherein the major portion of the legs of the U are in back of said pleating fingers to a position wherein the base of the U is in back of said pleating fingers with at least a portion of each of the legs of the U projecting in front of said pleating fingers through a different space between adjacent fingers, so that when said pleating fingers are disposed within spaced hooktubes in the upper portion of a drape to form pleats, with the legs of said U-shaped pleat engaging and retaining element in their second-mentioned position, each of the frontwardly projecting portions of the legs may penetrate the pleat between adjacent hook-tubes and maintain said pleats in position.

12. A multi-finger drapery-suspending and pleat-retaining device for draperies, curtains and the like, including four spaced-apart elongated pleat-retaining fingers disposed generally upright when the device is in its operative position, a suspension hook including astem fixedly connected with said fingers near their lower ends and extending upwardly therefrom and having its hook portion rearwardly of said fingers, a pincher-anchorage fixed near the lower ends of said fingers, and a pleat-pincher permanently anchored to said pincher-anchorage and having two spaced-apart pleat-pinching arms fixedly connected with each other .at one end, said pleat-pincher being so movably anchored to said anchorage as to be movable to and fro about said anchorage, in a direction transversely of said fingers between a rearward IHOPCIZLL tive position and a forward operative position with its anchored zone held by said anchorage against any substantial movement parallel to said finger; said pleatpincher being arranged so that one of its arms enters the rearwardly-opening fold of the pleat retained by one outer finger and the adjacent inner finger and the other of its arms enters the rearwardly-opening fold of the pleat retained by the other outer finger and the adjacent inner finger.

13. A multi-finger drapery-suspending and pleat-retaining device for draperies, curtains and the like, including plurality of spaced-apart elongated pleat-retaining fingers disposed generally upright when the device is in its operative position, a pincher-anchorage fixedly connected with the lower ends of said fingers and extending generally transversely of said fingers, a suspension hook including a stem fixedly connected with said fingers near their lower ends and extending upwardly therefrom and having its hook portion rearwardly of said fingers, and

a pleat-pihcher permanently anchored ,-to said 'pincher anchorage and having two spaced-apart pleat-pinching arms fixedly connected with each other at one end, *said pleat-'pincher being so movably anchored [to said pincheranchorage as to be movable to and fro about said anchoragefin a direction transversely of said fingers, between a rearward inoperative position and a forward operative position with its anchored zone held by said anchorage against any substantial movement parallel to said fingers.

14. A 'rnulti-finger pleater for draperies, curtains or the like, including at least a pair of inner fingers and a pair of outer fingers disposed generally upright when the pleater is in its operative position and connected at their lower ends, a cross-bar near the lower ends of said fingers and connecting at least two of said fingers, a draperysuspension hook connected with said fingers near their lower ends and extending rearwardly thereof, atlea'st two elbow-shaped pleat-pinching elements, each including two legs and an elbow-like bend connecting the two legs, said two elbow-shapedpleat-pinching elements being connected with each other at their rear ends by a connecting member disposed transversely of said fingers and rearwardly thereof and connecting a leg of one elbow-shaped tionand a forwardly projecting operative pleaopinching positionsubstantially forwardly of said fingers, with the aforementioned elbow=like bends leading as said pleatpinching elements are moved from their rearward inoperative position to their forward operative pleat-pinching position, said anchorage at all times holding the anchored Zones of said elbow-shaped pleat-pinching elements against any substantial movement parallel to said fingers.

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